A rotational device of the type described here can be used, in particular, for rotating a medical endoscope as is used, in particular, in micro-invasive operations on human or animal patients. Such an endoscope comprises a shaft, which is led to an operating site and, inter alia, serves to transmit light from the operating site to a camera device. The camera device registers the light and converts the latter into an analog or digital signal which is transmitted to a display device which images the operating site and therefore allows a surgeon to undertake a visual inspection of the operating site.
In the case of procedures performed micro-invasively, for example on the abdomen of the patient, a surgeon generally needs both hands to guide and operate instruments and, in this manner, perform the procedure. To date, an endoscope for optical registration and inspection of the operating site is usually held by a camera assistant, who stands e.g. behind or next to the surgeon. This may be disadvantageous because the movement space of the surgeon is restricted. Moreover, the camera assistant often needs to assume an ergonomically inexpedient body posture for a relatively long period of time, and so, with increasing operation duration, there may be blurring of the image as a result of the operation assistant tiring.
In order to make a camera assistant superfluous, holding systems, by means of which it is possible to statically assemble an endoscope on an operating table, are also used these days. Such holding systems use holding arms which have a relatively simple design and are universally usable, but only facilitate a manual change in the position of the endoscope by way of adjusting the holding arm.
In place of such holding systems, mechanical, in particular mechatronic guide systems, which facilitate a motor-driven adjustment of the position of an endoscope, are also known. By way of example, a guide system known from DE 196 09 034 A1 facilitates both the pivoting of an endoscope about a pivot point, which, in particular, corresponds to a penetration point at an abdominal wall of a patient or a different access opening at a patient, and the rotating of said endoscope about the longitudinal axis thereof.
In the guide system of DE 196 09 034 A1, this is achieved by virtue of an adapter being attached to a housing of the endoscope, which adapter is coupled via a spur gear with a further spur gear of a drive device in such a way that the endoscope can be put into rotational motion, driven by the drive device. A camera device receiving the light from the endoscope is held in a stationary manner in this case by virtue of the camera device being arranged at a holder holding the drive device by means of a retainer. Thus, the endoscope is rotated relative to the camera device.
The guide system as per DE 196 09 034 A1 facilitates a rotation of the endoscope about the longitudinal axis thereof and a corresponding setting of the field of view. By way of example, in the case of an endoscope which, by means of a suitable optical unit (a so-called “side-view tip”), receives light from a region lateral to the endoscope shaft, the fixed or adjustable direction of view of which endoscope is not parallel to the longitudinal axis of the endoscope shaft, the field of view can be pivoted by rotating the endoscope about the longitudinal axis thereof and an operating site can be observed from different observation directions.
DE 101 41 226 C1 has disclosed an endoscope holder and transport unit which has a drive sleeve to be brought into contact with a shaft of an endoscope. The drive sleeve can be driven and rotated about the longitudinal axis in order to rotate the endoscope about the longitudinal axis thereof.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,540,649 has disclosed a positioning means for medical instruments which comprises a drive wheel, driven by a drive device, for positioning an endoscope, in particular along the longitudinal axis thereof.
The field of view, in which light from the region of an operating site can be recorded by means of a camera device, can be expanded and varied by a rotational device for rotating an endoscope by virtue of the endoscope being rotated and, as a result thereof, the field of view being pivoted about the longitudinal axis of the endoscope.
Moreover, endoscopes are known which comprise one or more operating elements, for example for adjusting an optical unit arranged at a distal end of the endoscope, and by means of which, for example, a field of view can be varied, a zoom setting can be adjusted or a focus setting can be modified. Conventionally, as a component of an endoscope to be operated by hand overall, such operating elements may be operated by hand.
In principle, there is a need for guide systems for endoscopes which facilitate a motor-driven rotation of such an endoscope about the longitudinal axis thereof, which endoscope is, in principle, to be operated by hand, and, at the same time, also facilitate simple handling of the endoscopes.
An object of the present invention is to provide an improved rotational device, an improved endoscope device and an improved method for rotating an endoscope which, in particular, facilitate simple handling of an endoscope comprising an operating element.